Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 17 March (BelTA) – The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes that the decision of the Israeli authorities to keep the embassy in Minsk open is logical, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dmitry Mironchik told a briefing, BelTA has learned.

“A message posted on the official website of the Israeli Prime Minister on 16 March reads that Benjamin Netanyahu decided against closing the embassy in Minsk. I also confirm that the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the Belarusian Ambassador to Israel of this decision on instruction from the Prime Minister. The Israeli head of government stressed the importance of maintaining the diplomatic mission in Belarus,” Dmitry Mironchik said.

“We have welcomed the decision of the Israeli authorities. We think it is logical and objectively consistent with the current state and spirit of our bilateral relations. As we know, the relations between Belarusian and Israeli people rest on a solid historical foundation. Our cooperation is expanding in a wide range of areas,” the spokesman added.

The Belarusian side views the decision of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a confirmation of Israel’s eagerness to boost cooperation with Belarus in various fields and intensify ties between Belarusian and Israeli people, Dmitry Mironchik emphasized.

He added that, in line with diplomatic practice, Belarus is waiting for a note from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs with details on the matter.

“As for Belarus’ presence in Israel, we clearly stated our position on the issue and the motives behind the decision to withdraw the diplomatic mission from Tel Aviv. The Belarusian side has already made several steps in this direction. We recalled a number of employees and stopped the provision of some consular services that require a long period of consideration. We acted in accordance with the international practice and were guided by the principle of reciprocity. As for the formalization of our decisions, the process consists of a set of procedures. Let us give it some time,” Dmitry Mironchik said.